Model 3 Made in America Index

[Brovane]

When I looked up this static, I have to admit I was surprised by what is showed from the Model 3.

The most expensive parts like the Batteries and Motor are manufactured in the US for the Model 3.

I went to the NHTSA Part 583 AALA page Part 583 American Automobile Labeling Act Reports

I was surprised to find the Model 3 either had the same or lower % for US/Canada content than the Model S and X.

Model 3 LR - 50%
Model S - 55%
Model X - 50%

Same thing with the American Auto Index. 2018 Auto Index


How can the Model 3 have the same or lower source from US/Canada Content than the Model S and X when those battery cells are sourced from overseas instead of Reno?

 

[RayK]

Because most cars have thousands of pieces that go into them. I would hazard a guess to say that the battery is rated as ONE piece; i.e., as a whole and not the number of individual cells contained within. I've not seen any figures or stories as to the source of the metals used for the body. Nor the components used in the suspension (control arms, struts, wheels, tires) or interior (carpets, seats, door panels, dash, headliner, electronic components, etc.). All of these things probably contribute to the 25% parts content from Mexico that's on my Monroney sticker.

 

[SageBrush]

You have to read carefully how they add things up.
In the case of the auto index e.g., 14% of the weight is given to place of engine manufacturer. Does Tesla have an engine ?

 

[Brovane]

Because most cars have thousands of pieces that go into them. I would hazard a guess to say that the battery is rated as ONE piece; i.e., as a whole and not the number of individual cells contained within. I've not seen any figures or stories as to the source of the metals used for the body. Nor the components used in the suspension (control arms, struts, wheels, tires) or interior (carpets, seats, door panels, dash, headliner, electronic components, etc.). All of these things probably contribute to the 25% parts content from Mexico that's on my Monroney sticker.

From the NHTSA page.

"The charts list information that NHTSA received from vehicle manufacturers about the U.S./Canadian content (by value) of the equipment (parts) used to assemble passenger motor vehicles. "

Can we safely come to the conclusion that the battery pack in a Tesla is the single item within the vehicle that has the highest value?

I would think if you move the manufacturer of the components of the highest value item on-shore that this would make a significant change to the % manufactured in the US. Yet we can see this made no difference or actually slightly reduces that % manufactured in the US for the Model 3 as compared to the S.

Can we come the conclusion that Tesla is sourcing a increasing % of other Model 3 components from overseas sources as compared to the Model S?

 

[DrDabbles]

Look at the vehicles that populate the top spots. Chrysler has one of the lower initial quality scores of all the major manufacturers, and Honda takes up two of the top 10 spots when sorting by US/Canadian made. And they're not even fully US companies.

The lesson you should learn from this list is that "Made In America" labels are a marketing scam, and mostly meaningless. The assembly of all of these vehicles happens here in the US, which keeps our auto industry employees working. That's pretty much the only part of this that matters in the end, because you're not going to pay 10x the cost for bulbs and LEDs that were made here in the US.